Patient lifting device



July 15, 1940 J. J. CARTER PATIENT LIFTING DEVICE Filed March 3, 1939 w m R o@ Tn N ED VS Nu lim T L 5 m n,

L-GAM H" ,Q

ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a lifting device and more particularly to a device for lift-` ing and transferring a patient from one bed to another or to and from a bed and operating table.

5 An object of the invention is to provide a lifting device comprising a frame structure having a plurality of spaced lifting levers pivotally supported on the frame and having means for rotating the levers about same'beyond the side edges of the frame and over an adjacent bed or the like for connecting the ends of the levers with a sling on which a patient is resting and raising the levers to a vertical position above the frame with the patient supported therebetween.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as set forth in the preceding paragraph in` which the pivots of the levers may be raised and lowered to adapt the levers to be lowered over beds and tables of various heights.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is clearly disclosed.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is an end view partly in section of a patient lifting device connected to a bed and an operating table, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, Il) represents a patient carrying device embodying the present $5 invention. The device l0 comprises generally, a rectangularly shaped frame EI having a lifting lever I2 pivotally supported at each corner on the top side of the frame.

The frame II comprises four legs It, formed of metal tubes, that are interconnected with various other rods and tubes that serve to stabilize the legs and to support operating elements of the device. Two legs I4 are located at either end of the frame II and are joined by cross rods I5 and I5 that serve to maintain the end legs It in spaced relation and to support bearing members II. The rods I5 and l5 are joined at one end with opposite legs llirespectively, as by welding, and the other ends thereof are similarly joined to a bearing member Il. A bearing member II is thus supported at each end of the frame II. The legs I4 receive a threaded rod Non the inside thereof and the lower ends of the legs rest on the face of a bevel gear 23A that is threaded on each of the rods 20. The rods 2B are each formed their pivots to extend theV with a caster socket 2I on the end thereof that `4 receives a caster 22. The frame may thus be readily rolled about on the casters 22. A rod 25 interconnects the caster sockets 2| at either end' of the frame Ii for further bracing the legs of the frame.

The gears 28 are each adapted to be rotated by a evel gear 28 meshed herewith and mounted on a shaft 3B journaled at either end in bushing 3| formed onthe legs I4. A shaft 3U is provided at each end of the frame II, and each of the shafts 35 supports two of the gears 29. The shafts 3I.l are each rotated by a worm gear 33 mounted' thereon and which is adapted to be rotated by a screw gear 34. The screw gears 34 are mounted on a shaft 35 that' is journaled adjacent either end in the bearings I1. A crank 36 is provided at each end of the shaft 35 so that the shaft may be rotated by a person at either end of the frame and thereby cause the gears 28 to be rotated and move either upwardly or downwardly along the threaded rods 2U. It will be` apparent that the gears 28 on one sideof the frame will be rotated in one direction and the gears 28 on the opposite side of the frame will be rotated in the opposite direction; therefore, the threads of the rods 20 on one side of the frame are formed right handed and threads of the rods 20 on the opposite side of the frame are formed left handed so that the gears 28 will be raised and lowered simultaneously. Thus the legs I4 and the structure supported thereby may be raised and lowered as desired.

Two rods 4D and 4I extend lengthwise of the frame on opposite sides thereofl and are journaled in bearings 42 provided at the upper end of the legs I4. Preferably the bearings 42 and rods 40 and 4I are provided with abutting shoulders for preventing end movement of rods. The ends of the rods 4I] and 4I extend outwardly beyond the bearings. The rod 40 is adapted to be rotated by a gear 50 mounted on the rod Ml intermediate the bearings 42, and the rod 4I is adapted to be rotated by a gear 5I mounted on the rod 4 I. The gear 'is adapted to be rotated by a bevel gear 53 meshing therewith that is mounted on a shaft 5d. The shaft 54 is journaled ateither end in bearing members 55 and 55 that are mounted on the rods 40 and 4l respectively. The bearing members 55 and 56 have bearing Surfaces extending therethrough in which the rods 40 and 4I rotate. The gear 5I is meshed with a bevel gear 5'! that is rotatively mounted on a shaft 58. The latter shaft is journaled at one end in the bearing member 56 and journaled at the opposite end in a bearing member 59 that is mounted on the rod 40 and is similar to the bearing member 55. A collar 58 is secured to the rods 4|] and 4| at one end of the bearings 55 and 56 to prevent movement of the bearings relative to the gears 5I! and 5| respectively toinsure meshing of the gears 50 with 53 and 5| with 51. The gear 51 is adapted to be rotated by a gear 60 meshed with the gear teeth 6| of the gear 51. The gear 60 is mounted on the shaft 54 and is rotated thereby, The shaft 54 is rotated by worm gear 65 mounted thereon that is adapted to be driven by a screw gear 62 mounted on a rotatable rod 63. The rod 63 extends lengthwise of the frame I I and is supported at either end in bearings 65 and 61 re'- spectively. The bearing 66 is supported by across rod 68 and the bearing 61 is supported by a cross rod 69. The cross rods S8 and 69 are connected at their ends to two frame members that extend lengthwise of the frame and are connected to the legs I4. These frame members do not appear in the drawing as they connect the legs |4 immediately below the bearings 42 and are below the rods 4G and 4I The crank 54 is provided at either end of the rod B3 so that the rod may be rotated from either end of the frame Thegears5, 5|, 5,3, 51 and 50 are of uniform size so that when the worm gear 65 is rotated the rods 40 and 4| will be turned at equal rates. `When the worm gear 65 is rotated to the right for example, as viewed in Fig. 2, the gear 53 will rotate the gear 50 clockwise as viewed in Fig. l. The gear 60 will rotate the gear 6| tothe left as viewed in Fig. 2, and the latter gear will rotate the gear 5| clockwise as viewed in Fig. l. Thus the rods 40 and 4I may be rotated in thesame directions and at equal rates by turning the cranks 64.

The lever I2 is connected at one end to each end of the rods 40 and 4| so that the levers will be rotated about the rods in the same directions and at equal rates when the rods are turned. In the present embodiment the levers I2 are se cured to the ends of the rods 4U and 4| and are pivoted about the rods when the rods are rotated. Hooks 41 are pivotally mounted on the ends of the levers I2 for supporting a sling in the form of a canvas sheet 48 between the levers. The length ofthe levers I2 is greater than the width of the framev II so that the ends thereof will extend over either side of the frame when the levers are rotated to their lowered positions as shown in the dotted lines of Fig. l.

A bumper 10 is formed on each of the legs I4 and a hook 1| is secured to an ear 12 formed on each ofy the castor sockets 2|.

When the lifting device is to be used, for example to transfer a patient from the bed 16 to an operating table 19, the device IIJ is moved alongside the bed 16 and the height of the frame II is adjusted so` that the pivoted ends of the levers I2 will be slightly above the top of the bed. This adjustment is made by operating the cranks 35 as described above. The hooks 1| on the side of the frame I adjacent the bed are then secured in eyelets 11 formed on the legs of the bed. The bumpers the frame adjacent the bed will abut the legs of the bed. The crank 64 is then operated to cause the levers I2` to be rotated about their ,pivots to their lowered positions shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 1. the ends of the levers edges of the frame II and above the topfof the adjacent bed 16. The hooks k41 are then' secured through reinforced eyelets formed in the In the lowered position 10 on the side of I2 extend over the sidey canvas sling 48 on which the patient is resting. Preferably the patient is resting 0n the canvas at all times so that it is unnecessary to place the patient on the canvas in making the transfer. The crank 64 is then turned to rotate the levers I2 to their raised position, i. e., the position in which the levers extend vertically from the frame as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. When the levers are rotated in their raised positions, the weight 'of the patient will tend to tilt the frame toward the bed. The, bumpers 10 will prevent such tilting and the hooks 1| will prevent separation of the bed and frame. 'I'he hooks 1I are then disconnected from the bed and the device is then rolled to a position alongside the operating table 19. The frame is then raised by rotating the crank until the pivots` of the levers I2 are level with or slightly above the top of the operating table.` The hooks 1| adjacent the table are connected to eyelets formed on the leg of the table and the bumpers 10 will abut the table legs and prevent' the frame from tilting when the patient is lowered to the operating table. The kcrank 64 is then rotated to cause the levers to rotate to the right about their pivots to a lowered position with the ends of the levers extending over the side edges of the frame and above` the operating table, ras illustrated in the dotted lines of Fig. 1. The hooks 41 are disu connected fromthe canvas and the levers moved to their It will be noted that the ends of the levers I2 are at all times in a parallel plane and the canvas sling 48 will be level when the levers are rotated to their raised or lowered positions. Also the hooks 41, being pivotally mounted on the levers I2, will rotate with respect to the levers to always maintain the hooks securedin the eyelets of the canvas.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim: f

1. A patient lifting device for use in hospitals or the like comprising in combination, a frame; a plurality of levers pivotally supported on said frame and spaced from one another, said levers being adapted to rotate about their pivots to raised and lowered positions, the free ends of said levers extending beyond a side edge of the frame when in the lowered position and above the frame when in said raised position; means for rotating said levers to the said raised and lowered positions; means for raising and lowering the said levers and their pivots; and means raised positions and the device rolled. away from the table.

connected adjacent the free ends of the levers` connected adjacent the 3. A patient lifting device for use in hospitals for supporting a loadk means for adjusting the height `of said frame; and means for rotating said levers to the said raised and lowered positions; means for simultaneously raising and lowering the said levers and their pivots; and means connected adjacent the free end of the levers for supporting a load there- 5 between. n f

JAMES JEFFERSON CARTER. 

